In 2011, my parents paid a significant amount of money for me to return to camp as a CIT and learn the ropes of being a camp counselor. That summer I spent as half a counselor and half a camper changed my life in ways I never expected it would and led me to where I am now, 5 years later.

It's now the summer of 2016 and I'm in the midst of my third summer of being a senior counselor at the place I've considered my second (and summer) home for most of my life. Being a camp counselor has taught me so much both about myself and my future profession as a teacher and is one of the most rewarding experiences I've ever had the pleasure of taking part in.

From being a counselor, and especially a senior counselor, the biggest thing I've learned about myself is that I have way more leadership potential than I ever imagined. I've never really seen myself as a leader, and even when I was a junior counselor I kind of just stood in the shadow of whoever my co-counselor was. Being the senior counselor means that the group is my group and forces me out of my comfort zone of being a follower. Any activities that don't involve the leadership of a specialist require the leadership of myself and my junior counselor as well as any disciplinary issues and making sure the kids stay out of trouble. Having my own group has taught me that any fears I had about being a leader were ridiculous and proves that when it comes time to have my own classroom, I'll be more than okay. In addition, I've gained great experience in working with children that will serve me extremely well when I get into the classroom both to student teach and to teach my own classes. Being a counselor has showed me how much I truly enjoy working with kids and reassures any doubts that may have been hidden deep underneath my surface about being a teacher.

I've also had my life enriched by working with these kids. The smiles that spread across their faces when they're having a good day never fails to make my heart swell with joy. It means everything to me when any of my campers go through the day smiling because I know it means that I'm making my group an inclusive and enjoyable place to be. With the really young kids it also brings me so much joy to see their reactions when they learn anything new throughout the day, no matter how small it may seem. For those kids entering kindergarten through third grade, so many things are a big deal to them and when they realize or learn something new it lights up their entire face. Watching kids discover more about life is such a rewarding feeling, especially when I'm the one that taught them, and it's something I'll never take for granted.

Another added bonus perk of being a counselor is all the wonderful people I've had the pleasure of meeting. I spent nine years going to camp with the same people and creating lasting friendships that will always be important to me, but that didn't stop once I started working at camp. From working at camp I've met so many new people that have become great friends and gigantic parts of my life and people who I really enjoy spending time with, as well as becoming closer to people who have always been part of my life at camp or one who I'd known previously from outside of camp. Seeing the same wonderful faces every day for eight weeks is another huge part of what makes camp so enjoyable and the relationships I've created with people through camp, both as a camper and a counselor, are some that I'll never take advantage of and always be incredibly grateful for. Camp friends are forever, no matter how long you've known them, and I'm so lucky to have such wonderful ones to share such enjoyable memories with both in and out of camp.

Working at camp has seriously changed my life for the better and I don't think I'll ever be able to stop being grateful for the experiences I've had. Here's to making the rest of this summer incredible and for the ones to come in the future.